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PSG suffer another French title setback

PARIS (AFP) - Paris St Germain suffered another setback to their French first division title hopes on Sunday when they slumped to a dispiriting 1-0 defeat at Toulouse.

The loss left PSG in ninth place in the table, seven points behind leaders Lyon. It also meant that they have not won a league game since August 29.

Albin Ebondo scored the game's only goal in the 74th minute as Toulouse moved three points clear of the drop zone.

A double from Spanish-Brazilian midfielder Nene handed Monaco a 2-0 win over Lens and allowed the Principality side to reclaim fourth spot from Marseille.

Nene put himself top of the French league goalscorers list following a performance which underlines both his and his club's ambitions this term.

He fired in his sixth goal of the season after ten minutes and Monaco could have gone two-up before the break following a corner from Nene but Vedran Runje saved a fine header from Adriano.

After the break Monaco were happy to sit back on their advantage with the odd foray forward.

South Korean striker Park Chu-young picked up a cross from Ivorian striker Jean-Jacques Gosso after 58 minutes but Runje once again proved solid.

The hosts were awarded a penalty after 66 minutes after Park was fouled in the box by Romain Sartre and Nene stepped up to slot home his seventh league goal.

Lorient gave warning that they are not be ruled out of the championship chase as they easily saw off Nice 4-1.

A goal from midfielder Arnold Mvuemba six minutes before the break and a second from Marama Vahirua after their return to the pitch set Lorient on their way against their outclassed rivals.

A Loic Remy free-kick on 61 minutes put the brakes on the Lorient charge but not for long with Sigamary Diarra scoring their third after 77 minutes and Kevin Gameiro grabbing a fourth a minute from time.

Lorient now have 17 points, to move level with sixth-placed Marseille who are ahead on goal difference after roaring past Nancy 3-0 on Saturday with goals from Matthieu Valbuena, Brandao and Fabrice Abriel.

Nice remain second from bottom, equal on eight points with Lens.

On Saturday, Bordeaux's hopes of landing a second successive French title suffered a blow when they slid to a surprise loss at Auxerre, while the side they deposed as champions, Lyon, went down at home to Sochaux.

Bordeaux's 1-0 reverse at the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps was equally out of character in that it came on the back of a lacklustre loss two weeks ago at St Etienne.

Despite their greater creativity Bordeaux were lacking a cutting edge in the final third of the field and paid for their complacency when Auxerre took their penalty chance when it fell their way rather fortuitously on 72 minutes.

Valter Birsa sent keeper Cedric Carrasso the wrong way with his strike after Mickael Ciano was harshly adjudged to have fouled Cedric Hengbart in the box.

The loss left Bordeaux a point behind Lyon, who have 20 points from their nine games after they inexplicably slumped at 2-0 home to Sochaux for their first loss of the campaign.